I don’t know how I ever got by without my garden cart. If you constantly need to go back to the shed for your garden tools or other items you need, you definitely should consider getting one for yourself.
They are so much easier to use than a wheelbarrow. This is because the weight is evenly distributed over all 4 wheels, making them perfect over rough terrain as well as yards with slopes. Plus, you pull them along rather than push. As these carts have 4 wheels, garden carts are also more stable and can generally take larger loads.
What Can You Use The Garden Cart For?
I use mine every time I go out into the garden. I put the tools in it that I’m going to be using for the particular task I’ll be doing and wheel it over to wherever I’m working.
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If I’m pulling weeds or pruning, I put the weeds or prunings straight into the cart rather than making piles on the ground. This saves so much time in double handling. I don’t have to pick things up after I’ve finished. I can wheel the cart straight to the compost bin or garden waste bin and dump everything in.
Recently I received a truckload of mulch. I used the cart for distributing the lot all around the garden. I have one of the dump carts, so it was really easy to tip the mulch straight onto the garden bed and then just spread it a little.
Also, I find it invaluable for shifting heavy loads like bags of compost and potting mix. I just wheel the cart up to the boot of the car and drag the bags into it. Certainly saves a lot of heavy lifting.
You can also use yard carts for mixing up ingredients if you like making your own potting mix. For my raised garden bed I purchased some bags of compost and garden soil, emptied them into the cart and mixed them up before shoveling the mix into the bed.
So What Should You Look For When Purchasing A Yard Cart?
When selecting the best garden cart for your needs, there are a number of things you should look for. Here are the most important features to consider.
Durability
Firstly you’ll want a utility cart that is durable and heavy duty because you’ll be using it a lot. However, you also want the cart to be lightweight enough to make it easy to pull along when it’s full.
Mine is a strong polycarbonate with a steel frame.
Pneumatic Tires
Ensure your cart has pneumatic tires that can be pumped up. After many years, I did end up with flat tires but found that one had a puncture.
However, all I had to do was replace the tires and continue to use the cart to this day.
Size
Next, you want to decide which size of cart you need. For most standard yard work a cart with a 4 cubic foot or 600-pound capacity is large enough and very easy to maneuver even when full.
There are smaller carts available if you only have a tiny yard but these usually only have 2 wheels. I prefer the 4-wheelers mainly for stability.
Weight Capacity
Depending on what you are planning to do in your garden, the weight capacity of garden wagons might be a factor. I find that the one I have can handle quite a bit of weight and this is quite enough for my needs.
Dumping Feature
For me, the dumping feature is an absolute must because it’s so much easier when you have a heavy load such as a cart full of mulch.
Foldability
For small spaces, you might want to consider foldable carts that take up very little storage space in your garage or garden shed.
Type Of Material
Garden carts come in a variety of construction materials. They can be made from plastic, metal or even fabric. Light-duty garden carts are usually made from fabric and you’ll find that most of these are foldable. Obviously, a metal cart would be the most durable but it could be substantially heavier. As a balance between durability and weight, a plastic cart is the perfect fit. My cart has a plastic body and it continues to service my needs even if I sometimes subject it to heavier loads.
Here’s a selection of the best garden carts that you may like to consider:
Gorilla GOR4PS Cart
Best All-Round Garden Cart
This popular garden cart has a solid frame and a durable 38.7″ x 20″ rust-proof poly bed. It also has 10-inch pneumatic tires.
The cart has a quick-release dump feature and a padded pull handle for easy manoeuvrability. It has a 600-pound capacity.
Gorilla GOR6PS Garden Cart
Best Heavy-Duty Garden Cart
This is a larger heavy-duty poly garden dump cart. It features a 40″ x 25″ rust-proof poly bed with a 1200-pound capacity. It also has 13-inch pneumatic tires.
The cart also has a 2-in-1 heavy-duty padded handle that can be pulled by hand or towed with a small tractor or 4-wheeler.
Yardsam Utility Garden Cart
Best Multipurpose Garden Cart
This cart has a mesh cage and side panels with a PVC-coated green liner. Therefore it can be used for a multitude of things. The mesh cage has drop-down sides so that you can carry larger loads on the flat top.
The cart is 33.7 inches long and 18 inches wide. It can hold up to 400 pounds and has pneumatic tires.
Mac Sports Collapsible Folding Cart
Best Collapsible Garden Cart
This garden cart is collapsible which is a bonus when you’re looking for easy storage. It’s also ideal for taking on camping trips or to sports events.
It has a strong steel frame that can support up to 150 pounds of weight. The inner dimensions are 32 x 17 x 10 inches. It also has a handle fold-out table with cup holders.
Gorilla GOR10-16 Garden Cart
Ultimate Heavy-Duty Garden Cart
This super heavy-duty garden cart has a 1500-pound capacity and is the ultimate workhorse.
It has a rigid steel frame and 16-inch pneumatic tires. The durable poly bed is easy to clean and won’t rust.
And if the load is too heavy, you can easily hitch the cart to a four-wheeler and tow it around your yard.
My choice from the carts listed above would have to be the Gorilla Carts GOR4PS Garden Cart as it’s almost identical to the one that I have which is very durable and useful. These carts all come unassembled so you’ll need to put them together but if you follow the instructions you shouldn’t have too many problems. If I can put one together then anyone can!
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden carts have a number of different names. Apart from just a garden cart, they can also be referred to as utility wagons, dump carts, flatbeds or foldable carts.
I find a garden cart much easier to use than a wheelbarrow. Carts are generally more stable and capable of handling a whole range of yard debris as well as large quantities of bulk materials.
Personally, I find it much easier to pull a garden cart because the steering on my cart is on the wheels where the handle is. This makes it easier to move the cart over rough ground and even over curbs or other obstacles.
This will vary from cart to cart. For example, my plastic cart can easily handle 600 pounds while the heavy-duty Gorilla GOR10-16 Garden Cart can hold up to 1500 pounds. At the other end of the scale, a collapsible cart can usually handle around 150 pounds.
Final Thoughts
If you haven’t yet discovered the benefits of using a garden cart around your garden, I highly recommend you consider getting one. It will make your yard work so much easier. In fact, once you have one of these handy carts, you’ll also wonder how you ever got by without one.
Update – July 2016 – I’ve just received another truckload of mulch and my garden cart is still going strong!
Update – June 2020 – I’m still using my cart but had to replace one of the wheels because the tire was totally worn out.
